Ice Fishing Gear the “Stick Tip-Up” is Still Going Strong After All These Years
OutdoorHub 09.15.11
Jackson, Wis. – Renowned artist Glenn Wolff appreciates the significance and the ageless tradition of ice fishing. One of his classic works says it all: an authentic vintage stick tip-up in the foreground, flag fully tripped. The title of the piece is “How the Midwest Was Won”.
As Wolff implies in his artwork’s title, the stick tip-up has been around since the Europeans established themselves as year-round residents of the Midwest. The ingenious, cobbled together fish-catching device was the mainstay of pioneers that endured the harsh winters with bellies full of fillets.
Visually, the Stick Tip-Up of today doesn’t look far removed from one that might have trotted to the lake in a saddlebag with second cousin Zebadiah at the reins. Functionally, they’re still easy to use, no matter the skill level of the angler; fold up tight for easy storage; and are highly affordable. (Although Frabill suspects that many of the early models were built by kids as punishment for playing hooky.)
But just because the Stick Tip-Up is so rudimentary doesn’t mean it has to be junky, and Frabill’s proving that with the introduction of their ‘back to the future’ Stick Tip-Up series.
The basic, price-conscious 1720 Stick Tip-Up has an extra-long spool shaft and a 32-inch long flag arm, perfect for fishing in deep snow. The long shaft and arm have a better chance of being spied by snowmobilers, too, so they don’t carve your device up into chopsticks. The upgraded 1722 Stick Tip-Up maintains the same merits but comes fashioned with an aluminum spool that resists corrosion and rotates freely.
The higher-end Finger Lakes Stick Tip-Up is made from the finest hardwood and all its components are fastened with aluminum and stainless steel hardware. The Finger Lakes is also available in a “ready-to-fish” package that includes line, line markers and depth finder. And the new Lake Champlain Premium Stick Tip-Up, King of the Stick Forest, sports a premium hardwood plank for on-the-ice support, as well a built-in ruler, stainless steel and aluminum components, and the ready-to-fish package with line, line markers and depth finder.
Ye old stick tip-ups have proven their worthiness for decades. And what’s old is new, especially when the creators at Frabill get their paws on it.
ABOUT FRABILL
Frabill, Inc. (Jackson, Wis.) is in its 73rd year of engineering premium, trusted fishing equipment. Frabill’s ice fishing product lineup consists of portable ice fishing shelters, rod and reel combos, tip-ups, bait containers, portable aeration, and premium ice fishing apparel, including FXE Snosuit. Openwater products include landing nets, portable aeration, bait containers, bait care, bait traps and seines, accessories, and premium openwater apparel, such as FXE Stormsuit. Visit www.frabill.com.
